Former Portugal international Manuel Fernandes has shared his thoughts on fellow countryman Fernando Santos’ role as head coach of the Azerbaijani national team, as well as his own future plans.
Speaking to AZERTAC, the former midfielder, who enjoyed a career at top clubs such as Benfica, Everton, Valencia, and Besiktas, expressed confidence in the 70-year-old Portuguese coach, Idman.biz reports.
"To be honest, I haven’t watched Azerbaijan’s matches under Fernando Santos. However, he won trophies with the Portuguese national team. His international experience can be very valuable for Azerbaijan. I hope the team will achieve good results in the future."
The 39-year-old also addressed the lack of Azerbaijani players in European clubs:
"To build a competitive national team, it’s essential for players to gain experience abroad. Facing strong teams and top-level players helps develop their skills. That’s why more Azerbaijani footballers should consider playing in foreign leagues."
Fernandes added that he has no plans to return to football in a coaching capacity:
"I’m not thinking about becoming a coach. I’ve won titles during my playing career and I’m happy with that. Right now, I’m studying management at a university in Portugal and have ambitious plans in that field."
Notably, Fernandes earned 15 caps and scored 3 goals for Portugal. He was also part of the squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Idman.biz
